Momentum Solar
Your Numbers
kWh per year — CT average ~8,500
$
per kWh
$
per month — what utility would charge for same kWh
% increase per year
$
per kWh
% increase per year
Payment Trend
Year-by-Year Breakdown
YearUtility
Monthly		Solar Monthly
(before EPP)		Solar Monthly
(EPP)		Yearly
Savings
Your 25-Year Summary
💡

If You Do Nothing

$0
Total utility payments over 25 years
📈

Savings (before EPP)

$0
💰

Savings With EPP Pricing

$0
💡 What is Efficient Partner Pricing (EPP)? ▼
Save Even More

Efficient Partner Pricing (EPP) rewards homeowners who help us operate efficiently. It's the same idea insurance companies use with non-smoker discounts — people who cost less to serve get better rates.

Here's how it works for you:

  • You set aside time to go through all the information and upgrade to solar in one visit
  • That saves us from making a second trip to your home
  • Each home we don't have to revisit lets us help one additional homeowner that month
  • We pass those efficiency savings back to you as a lower monthly rate

To lock in your EPP rate today, we just need three things:

  • ✅ Sign the agreement — get your solar journey started right now
  • ✅ Schedule your Engineering Visit — we send a specialist to finalize your custom system design
  • ✅ Set up autopay — enroll in automatic bank draft (ACH) to waive the monthly billing fee and lock in your lowest rate

It's a win-win. You get a better price today, and we get to help more families switch to solar. That's why the EPP rate you see above is lower than our standard pricing.

📄 Your Solar Lease — What You're Signing Up For

▼
1. Who Is This Agreement Between? ▼

This agreement is between you (the homeowner) and IGS Solar, LLC (the company that owns and maintains the solar system).

IGS Solar leases the equipment to you. You pay a monthly amount to use the system and keep the power it generates. IGS handles installation, insurance, repairs, and monitoring for the full 25 years.

All obligations start on the "Transaction Date" listed on your agreement — that's the day you sign.

2. How Long Is This Agreement? ▼

This is a 25-year lease — 300 months total. Think of it like leasing a car, but for solar panels.

The clock starts on the first day of the month right after your system gets turned on and connected to the grid. We call that the "Interconnection Date." Every year after that is a "Contract Year."

What this means for you: You're locking in your solar rate for 25 years. No renegotiating, no surprises. After 25 years, you choose what happens next — renew, buy the system, or let us remove it for free.

3. Your Monthly Payment ▼

You pay one fixed monthly amount for using the solar system. That's it. No equipment costs, no installation fees, no maintenance bills.

When you sign up, you'll set up automatic payment by credit card, debit card, or bank transfer (ACH). If you set up auto-pay through your bank (ACH), we usually waive the small monthly billing fee — so it's basically free to pay.

You'll get an email invoice every month. If a payment bounces, there's a standard returned-check fee (same as any other bill). If you're late, the fee is 1.5% per month on the past-due amount.

Sales tax may apply to your monthly payment, just like it does on your utility bill. That's normal.

Bottom line: Set it and forget it. One predictable payment. No utility bill roller coaster.

4. What Each Side Handles ▼

What IGS handles (so you don't have to):

  • Installation and construction start to finish
  • A revenue-grade meter that tracks every kilowatt-hour your system produces
  • Insurance on the system against damage or loss
  • All repairs if something breaks
  • No lien on your house — your home title stays clean. We may file a simple equipment notice (like a car loan notice) just to show we own the panels, but that's it

What we ask from you:

  • Keep trees and bushes trimmed so they don't shade the panels
  • Don't clean or modify the system yourself — call us if something looks off
  • Tell us ASAP if you see damage or something missing
  • Sign permit and inspection paperwork within 7 days when we send it
  • Keep your internet on — the monitoring system needs a connection to track performance. We can use your WiFi or install a cellular gateway
  • Get HOA approval if your neighborhood requires it
  • Don't use the system to heat a pool or hot tub
  • Share utility bills when we ask — helps us verify your savings

Roof work: If you're getting a new roof or doing construction that affects the panels, give us 30 days' notice. We'll coordinate removal and reinstallation. You keep paying your lease during any brief downtime.

Access: We need to get on your roof occasionally for maintenance or monitoring. We'll always try to give you reasonable notice. Access continues for 90 days after the lease ends, just in case we need to remove the system.

Bottom line: IGS handles the technical stuff. You handle basic homeowner stuff. Fair trade.

5. Before We Install ▼

Before installation day, we do our homework:

  • Engineering site audit to make sure your roof is solid
  • Final system design customized for your home
  • Real estate due diligence
  • All city permits, zoning, and building approvals
  • We claim any available rebates and renewable energy credits

You just need to return any paperwork we send you and get HOA approval if it applies.

If for some reason your roof can't support solar or the city won't approve it, we can cancel the agreement — but that's rare and protects both of us.

6. Changes to This Agreement ▼

The only way this agreement changes is if both of us sign a written amendment. No handshake deals, no verbal promises. We can fix utility paperwork to match the lease terms, but nothing changes your rate or your obligations without your signature.

7. Your Warranties ▼

Your protection comes from two documents:

  • The Limited Warranty (Exhibit 2) — covers defects, workmanship, and materials for 25 years
  • The Production Guarantee (Exhibit 3) — makes sure your system performs

Those two documents cover everything that matters. IGS doesn't make promises beyond what's in those exhibits — but honestly, they cover all the important stuff.

8. Can IGS Sell This Lease to Someone Else? ▼

Your lease may be transferred to a qualified financing partner — just like your mortgage gets sold to another bank. This is standard for solar leases.

Your rate, your terms, your warranty — nothing changes for you. The new company takes over the backend, and the old company is off the hook. Same as when your mortgage gets sold.

9. Who Owns the Equipment? ▼

IGS owns the panels, inverters, and equipment. It's considered personal property — like a leased car, not a built-in appliance. It doesn't become part of your house.

You can't let anyone put a lien on the equipment. If a contractor you hire separately tries to file a lien on the panels, you have 30 days to clear it.

Bottom line: You get all the benefits of solar without the headaches of ownership.

10. Who Owns the Power? ▼

You do. Every kilowatt-hour that hits your roof is yours. That's what you're paying for — the power, not the hardware.

11. Tax Credits & Incentives ▼

Since IGS owns the equipment, we claim the federal tax credits, state rebates, and renewable energy credits (SRECs). That's how we can offer you such a low monthly rate. We take the tax benefits on the front end, you take the savings on the back end. Win-win.

You'll need to sign some utility paperwork so we can process the incentives, but that's standard and takes two minutes.

Bottom line: The tax credits are baked into your low monthly payment. You're already getting the benefit — just in the form of savings instead of a tax form.

12. Can You Buy the System Later? Yes. ▼

Starting at year 5, you can buy the system outright if you want. The price is based on whichever is more fair:

  • Your remaining payments at a discount: All remaining lease payments, discounted at 5% per year. Basically "pay off the lease early at a discount."
  • What the system is actually worth: An independent appraiser figures out the fair market value. IGS pays for the appraisal.

If you buy it, you get any remaining manufacturer warranties and a bill of sale. From that day on, you're responsible for maintenance and repairs — just like you own it.

Bottom line: You have an exit ramp. Most people don't buy because the lease savings are already great, but the option is there if your situation changes.

13. What If You Sell Your House? ▼

You have three easy options. Most buyers love taking over a solar lease because it means lower electric bills from day one.

Option 1: Transfer the lease. Give us 30 days' notice, we run a quick credit check on the buyer. If they qualify, they take over the payments. This is the most common route — buyers see solar as a selling point.

Option 2: Prepay the lease. Pay off the remaining payments in a lump sum. The new owner pays nothing but still gets the solar power. Great for cash buyers.

Option 3: Buy the system (only if you're past year 5) and include it in the home sale. Now the buyer owns the panels free and clear.

Bottom line: Solar doesn't trap you in your house. It's a selling point. And if none of these work, talk to us — we want to help, not punish.

14. What Happens After Year 25? ▼

About 3 months before your lease ends, we mail you renewal forms. You have three choices:

  • Renew — sign the forms and keep going
  • Decline — sign the forms saying you're done, and the lease ends
  • Do nothing — your lease continues year-to-year at the same low rate, and you can stop anytime with 30 days' notice

If you don't renew or buy, we can remove the system for free at a time that works for you. Or we may transfer ownership to you as-is at no charge, and the system becomes yours to keep.

Bottom line: No cliff at year 25. You have options, and if you want out, we clean up after ourselves.

15. System Removal ▼

If you don't renew or buy after 25 years, we can remove the system for free and schedule it at your convenience. We'll take the panels off, seal the roof penetrations, and leave your roof as close to original as possible.

Or we may transfer ownership to you as-is at no charge, and the system becomes yours to keep.

16. Storms, Damage & Insurance ▼

Unless you intentionally damage the panels or are grossly negligent, IGS covers everything — hail, wind, fire, theft, you name it.

Your lease payment stays the same during repairs, but remember — you're still getting power from the grid, so your lights stay on while we fix the system. The repair is on us, not you.

Bottom line: Sleep easy. A tree falls on your roof? Not your wallet. Lightning strikes an inverter? We replace it.

17. Liability Limits ▼

If something goes wrong, IGS is only on the hook for direct damages — not lost profits, emotional distress, or other indirect stuff. Your liability to IGS is capped at what you'd owe under the default section.

Standard lease language. Every contract has it.

18. When Would This Go Bad? ▼

You're in default if:

  • You miss a payment and it's 30+ days late
  • You break a major rule and don't fix it within 14 days of us notifying you
  • You alter the system without permission
  • You give us false info on the application
  • You try to sell or transfer the lease without our okay
  • You go into bankruptcy or foreclosure

Bottom line: Pay your bill, don't mess with the equipment, and be honest. Do that, and you'll never think about this section. 99% of customers don't.

19. What Happens If Things Go South? ▼

This is the worst-case scenario section. If you default, we can try to fix the situation, take the system back, ask for the remaining value, or report it to credit bureaus.

This almost never happens because most people just pay their bill and enjoy the savings. If you're struggling, call us before you miss a payment — we'd rather work with you than against you.

20. Credit Check ▼

We run your credit when you apply. We report your payment history to credit bureaus.

Pay on time, build credit. Miss payments, it can hurt — just like any other bill. Standard stuff.

21. Photos of Your System ▼

We might take pictures of the panels on your roof for our website or marketing materials. Your name, address, and personal details stay private.

Your house might be a solar model home. No big deal.

22. Waivers ▼

If we don't enforce a rule one time, that doesn't mean we can't enforce it later. Standard contract language.

23. Legal Stuff ▼

This agreement follows the laws of your state. If there's a dispute, it gets handled in your local courts. No jury trials, no class actions — just straightforward resolution.

Standard legal boilerplate. Every contract has it.

24. Notices ▼

Important stuff has to be in writing — email, mail, or hand delivery. No "he said, she said."

25. The Whole Deal ▼

This document is the whole deal. No side agreements unless both of us sign them. If a court says one part doesn't work, the rest still stands.

26. Your Right to Cancel — 7-Day Safety Net ▼

You have 7 business days to change your mind. Zero cost. Zero hassle.

Sleep on it. Talk to your spouse. Google us. If you're not 100% in, cancel within a week and it's like it never happened. We'll refund any payments within 10 business days.

To cancel, just send a written notice to:

IGS Solar, LLC
6100 Emerald Parkway
Dublin, Ohio 43016
Email: SolarSupport@igs.com

Before You Sign ▼

By signing, you're saying:

  • "I've read this agreement and I understand it's legally binding"
  • "I know utility rates change over time, so savings can vary month to month — but over 25 years, the math is strongly in my favor"

Don't sign if there are blank spaces. Everything should be filled in before you put pen to paper.

Bottom line: You're making an informed decision. No pressure, no rush. You have 7 days to back out. Let me make sure every blank is filled and every question is answered before you sign.

Your 25-Year Warranty ▼

System Warranty: Professional install, free from defects in workmanship and materials for 25 years under normal use.

Roof Warranty: All roof penetrations are watertight for 5 years. If we put a hole in your roof, we seal it right.

Operation: The system will operate within manufacturer specs. If not, we repair or replace defective parts and restore operation.

Monitoring: Free monitoring for the full 25 years (unless you buy the system). We watch your production remotely. If something's off, we know before you do and we fix it.

Claims: Email SolarSupport@igs.com, call 888.974.0114, or mail overnight to 6100 Emerald Parkway, Dublin, OH 43016 — ATTN: IGS Residential Solar.

What's NOT covered: Damage you cause, unauthorized repairs, new tree growth shading the panels, or failures not caused by a system defect. Acts of God (hurricanes, earthquakes) — but remember, IGS still insures the system against those.

Bottom line: You're covered for 25 years. If the system breaks, underperforms, or leaks — we handle it. That's the whole point of leasing instead of buying.

Do I Need a Battery with Solar in NJ? (2026 Complete Guide)
🔋 Battery Guide

Do I Need a Battery with Solar in NJ? (2026)

Why panels shut off in blackouts. GSESP rebates. Time-of-use arbitrage. The complete battery decision guide.

Omar Jackson
Omar Jackson — Solar + Battery Integration Expert I’ve designed 80+ solar + battery systems across NJ. I know why panels shut off in outages, how to beat time-of-use rates with batteries, and exactly how to claim every GSESP rebate available.

You just installed a beautiful rooftop solar system. The sun is shining, your panels are humming, and you’re watching your electric bill plummet. Then a summer thunderstorm rolls through. The grid goes down. Your neighborhood loses power. And your $40,000 solar system… turns off completely.

This is the moment most NJ homeowners ask: “Should I have gotten a battery?” The answer depends on your priorities — and the new 2026 rebate landscape just changed the math dramatically in favor of batteries.

⚡ 2026 Game-Changer: The GSESP + Tesla Rebate Stack

Tesla’s “Next Million” rebate offers $1,000 cash back for Powerwall 3 installations (through March 31, 2026). Stack that with the 30% federal tax credit and NJ’s new Garden State Energy Storage Program (GSESP) performance payments, and your effective battery cost drops to under $3,000 after incentives. This is the cheapest battery backup has ever been in NJ.

Why Your Solar Panels Turn Off During Blackouts

🚨 The Anti-Islanding Law: Your Biggest Surprise

It’s the biggest shock for new solar owners. By law, standard grid-tied solar systems must automatically shut down the exact moment a grid blackout occurs. Your panels will not power your home during an outage. This safety mechanism, called “anti-islanding,” prevents your system from sending live electricity backward into the neighborhood wires while utility workers are trying to repair them. To keep your home running when the grid fails, you need a battery and a “Gateway” inverter that safely detaches your home from the grid.

Do You Actually Need a Battery?

The honest answer: it depends on your priorities.

  • You DON’T need a battery if: Your only goal is to save money and reduce electric bills. New Jersey’s 1:1 net metering law means the utility grid acts as your free, invisible battery. You don’t experience frequent, extended blackouts. You can tolerate losing power during storms.
  • You SHOULD consider a battery if: Blackouts happen regularly in your neighborhood. You want protection against future utility rate increases. You want to maximize savings by beating peak-hour time-of-use rates. You want home security and comfort during extended grid failures. You value energy independence.
  • You NEED a battery for: Medical equipment that requires 24/7 power (oxygen concentrators, CPAP machines). Well pumps (essential for rural homes without municipal water). Data center or home office operations requiring zero downtime. Critical security systems.
  • Battery economics improved dramatically because: Tesla rebates ($1,000 off). Federal tax credit increased to 30%. New GSESP performance payments ($150–$400/year). Powerwall prices dropped 20% since 2024. Grid reliability is declining, making backup more valuable.

1:1 Net Metering: Why You Might Not Need a Battery

New Jersey has one of the best net metering laws in the country. This is critical to understand: the utility grid acts as your free battery. During sunny mornings and afternoons, your solar panels overproduce electricity. That excess power flows into the grid. The utility is legally required to credit your account at the full retail rate (~$0.24/kWh).

At night, when your panels aren’t producing, your home draws power from the grid and “spends” those credits. Over a full year, this balances out. You pay nothing for the electricity consumed by your home that your panels generated. This is why a battery is optional for most NJ homeowners.

The Time-of-Use Trap: When a Battery Pays for Itself

Everything changed in 2026 when New Jersey utilities started pushing customers to time-of-use (TOU) rates. Under these plans, electricity prices shift dramatically throughout the day. Peak hours (typically 4 PM–8 PM) cost as much as 31¢/kWh, while off-peak hours (overnight) cost only 11¢/kWh.

If you have a battery, this becomes an opportunity for “rate arbitrage.” Your battery charges during sunny morning hours when your solar panels are generating (free electricity). At 5 PM when you get home from work and peak rates kick in, your home seamlessly switches to running off the battery. You bypass the utility’s peak surcharges entirely.

For a typical family, this strategy saves $200–$400/year in peak-hour charges alone. Over the battery’s 10-year useful life, that’s $2,000–$4,000 in savings — which directly offsets the cost of the battery after rebates.

Critical Loads vs. Whole-Home Backup

If you decide a battery makes sense, your next decision is scope: what do you want to keep running during an outage?

Backup Scope What It Powers Hardware & Cost Runtime (Single Battery)
Critical Loads Only Fridge, lights, Wi-Fi router, outlets, TV, microwave, well pump 1 Powerwall 3 (~$12K–$15K before rebates) 8–12 hours (depends on usage)
Whole Home Backup Everything above + Central AC, electric oven, EV charger, heating, hot water 2–3 Powerwalls (~$24K–$45K before rebates) 4–6 hours (with full-load usage)

Most NJ homeowners choose critical loads backup — it covers the essentials and avoids the $25K+ cost of whole-home systems. During the day, your solar panels recharge the battery. By the next morning, you’re ready for another outage.

The GSESP: Getting Paid for Your Battery Capacity

This is new in 2026 and it’s a game-changer. New Jersey’s Garden State Energy Storage Program (GSESP) pays homeowners for having backup battery capacity available. During extreme grid emergencies — like a massive heatwave when air conditioning demand peaks — the utility can request to dispatch your stored power.

In exchange for this “grid service,” you earn annual performance payments. A single Powerwall 3 typically generates $150–$400/year in GSESP revenue. This stacks on top of your time-of-use arbitrage savings and the federal tax credit.

Powerwall 3 Cost Breakdown in NJ (2026)

A single Tesla Powerwall 3 typically costs $12,000–$15,000 installed before applying rebates. Here’s how the rebates work:

  • Tesla “Next Million” Rebate: $1,000 cash back (through March 31, 2026)
  • Federal 30% Investment Tax Credit: $3,600–$4,500 (applied when you file taxes next year)
  • NJ GSESP Performance Incentives: $150–$400/year for 10 years = $1,500–$4,000 total lifetime value
  • Effective cost after incentives: Under $3,000 for most NJ homeowners

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, absolutely. This is called an “AC-coupled” retrofit. Even if you installed solar 5 years ago, we can install a Powerwall to your system. Retrofitted standalone batteries now qualify for the full 30% federal tax credit, which wasn’t always the case. The process is straightforward and typically takes a single electrician visit.
It depends entirely on your consumption. A Powerwall 3 holds 13.5 kWh of energy. If you’re running just essential loads (fridge, lights, Wi-Fi, TV), you’re pulling about 1 kWh per hour. That means a full battery lasts 13+ hours easily. The next morning, your solar panels wake up and recharge it. If you’re running your AC or oven, consumption increases to 3–5 kWh/hour, so the battery depletes faster — typically 4–6 hours.
The Powerwall 3 is weather-rated and sleek. It’s typically wall-mounted in your garage, on the exterior of your home near the main electrical panel, or in your basement if you have one. The Gateway inverter (which manages the battery) lives right next to it. Installation is clean — no unsightly cables or boxes in your yard. Most homes can accommodate it without any structural work.
Yes. Powerwall 3 is rated for operation in temperatures from -4°F to 122°F. New Jersey winters rarely push below -10°F, so cold weather won’t affect performance. Performance does degrade slightly in extreme cold (like most batteries), but it recovers fully as temperatures rise. The system includes thermal management to protect the battery pack.
No. You can still benefit from time-of-use rates with solar alone via net metering — your daytime solar production offsets peak-hour consumption. But a physical battery maximizes savings by allowing you to store solar power and discharge it during peak hours on demand. Without a battery, you rely on the utility grid to absorb your daytime overproduction and return it at night (which is less efficient). A battery lets you control when that power is used.
Powerwall 3 is 20% cheaper, more efficient, and integrates with Teslas for vehicle charging (V2H — vehicle-to-home power). It’s the clear choice in 2026. Powerwall 2 is still available and works fine, but unless you need specific legacy compatibility, Powerwall 3 is the better investment. The cost difference is minimal after incentives.

Design Your Solar + Battery System Today

Let our engineering team calculate your exact battery needs, show you the full rebate stack ($1,750+), and design a system that protects your home and maximizes your savings. We’ll handle all GSESP paperwork.

⚡ Get My Battery Quote

Takes 90 seconds. Includes rebate breakdown and GSESP setup. No commitment.

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